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Class 6(66)
Death: Human
23/04/10 || Altmer
Introduction
If you don’t know Death, you have been living under a rock. Every metalhead I know worships this band; this is because they are rightly one of the classic bands in metal. From their more gory early years to their more progressive and “sophisticated” later years, they have something to offer for any fan of metal. Want brutal shit? Death’s got it. Want excellent musicianship? Death’s got it. Death is the quintessential death metal band, the one everyone and their mom wants to be when they grow up. But they’re human, which this album is not. Even though it says fucking “Human” in the title. This album is inhuman. This album is sex. This album is a cold beer on a warm summer’s day. This album is a sunset over a beach in Barbados. This album is rightly a Class6(66), and this is why today it shall be covered as one of the most important albums in metal, music, or otherwise.
Songwriting
10. Technical as all fuck, odd time signatures, odd guitar lines, and still the songs groove like motherfuckers. Everything is kept together by a solid vocal performance from Chucky Boy, who growls his heart out. This is how to write complex, progressive, technical music at its very best. The instrumentalists are first class (DiGiorgio and Reinert are a BEASTLY rhythm section), the material is super-strong, and the songs beg to be played over and over. “Secret Face” is a tune that will live on forever. This is songwriting A, B, and C. Groove, technicality, catchiness, and the ability to break your neck to the songs. What else could you want? I sure don’t want anything but this fucken album.
Production
7. The bass is buried here and there, which is a shame, since DiGiorgio’s bass work is spectacular. Other than that, the guitar tone leaves a bit of punch to be desired – but it was 1991, so all will be forgiven for that. The mix is excellent otherwise, nice good drumsound, not triggered as fuck as is common these days, and good enough to discern all the important things. Mr Burns did a good job with this one, oh yeah, baby.
Guitars
10. Chuck’s odd style contrasts well with Masvidal, who is a more fluent player (see also Cynic, another band from this era that is similarly fantastic). They team up to form a groovy rhythm tandem, play solos of the highest class, and generally riff the fuck out. I wanna bang my head to this all day, even though half of the time it doesn’t even seem like there’s a fixed rhythm to bang your head to. The guitars are that good. Chuck’s less trained musical palette also ensures the tendency of more technical bands to overplay is curbed. It keeps the songs willfully in check.
Vocals
7. Chuck isn’t the best vocalist technically, his scream-growl impressing not many, but he sounds evil, and it suits the music to a T. It’s not super-spectacular, but it’s great in its own unique way, in the same way Death made music in its own unique way (nobody has ever managed to sound like Death after this album). It’s solid, it works for the songs.
Bass
10. Buried in the mix, shining like the sun underneath. DiGiorgio keeps the crazy rhythm section in check with a huge, huge performance. Top-notch, highest order. Ajax becoming league champions. Sweden winning the Olympics in hockey. It’s that kind of performance DiGiorgio offers. Here’s to many more performances from Steve The Human Bass Machine.
Drums
10. Sean Reinert is a god. Tasteful fills, precise like a metronome. It’s what we all love about drumming, put into one album. Aggressive, groovy, powerful. I fucken love the drums on this. It appeals to me even more than the guitars sometimes. And I am completely sold with guitars, which means it’s fantastic.
Lyrics
8. Life, philosophy, and such. It’s weird and a bit metaphysical, but I prefer it to B-grade horror lyrics that most DM bands engage in, or Satanic crap, so this is fine by me. I didn’t listen to this for the lyrics anyway, even though they are amazing and all. Sue me! I just love the music as all hell.
Cover art
7. A body from the inside. I guess it’s “Human”, haha… Whatever. It’s better than Scream Bloody Gore. I kinda like it, on second thought.
Logo
10. Death logo is a classic.
Booklet
nowt. I don’t have the booklet. Fuck you all.
Overall and ending rant
This album is a classic. For the ages. I want this to be played forever and ever and ever in the death metal scene. If you had to pick one album to show your mother/puppy/chica/butt buddy what your music taste sounds like, pick this. Hope they are awed. If not, their loss that they’re missing out on the best piece of metal that was released in 1991 (and no, that is not the fucking Black Album, retardos)… This is metal at its very, very best.
- Information
- Released: 1991
- Label: Relativity
- Website: www.emptywords.org
- Band
- Chuck Schuldiner: vocals, guitars
- Paul Masvidal: guitars
- Steve DiGiorgio: bass
- Sean Reinert: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Flattening Of Emotions
- 02. Suicide Machine
- 03. Together as One
- 04. Secret Face
- 05. Lack of Comprehension
- 06. See Through Dreams
- 07. Cosmic Sea
- 08. Vacant Planets
- 09. God of Thunder (KISS cover)
